by Jeff Gluck, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Gluck, USA TODAY Sports

RICHMOND, Va. -- Just days after Matt Kenseth found out his Kansas pole position didn't count for next year's Sprint Unlimited exhibition race, he did something about it: The Joe Gibbs Racing driver won the pole again, this time at Richmond.

Kenseth, not known as a good qualifier, earned back-to-back pole positions for the first time in his career. The pole came two days after Wednesday's massive penalties for an illegal engine part, which also stripped Kenseth's eligibility for the Unlimited (which features pole winners from the previous year).

"One of our goals this weekend was to come here this weekend and sit on the pole and try to quiet down some of the noise," Kenseth said. "I was pretty glad we were able to accomplish that. It's not been historically a good qualifying place for me -- it's probably one of my worst qualifying tracks on the circuit -- but I've been really champing at the bit to get to the track this weekend."

Kenseth said he thought it was "real possible" he wouldn't be able to win another pole and make up for the one that was lost after Kansas, but he was relieved to find he had another fast car at Richmond.

Now he'll have a shot to pull off something even sweeter: a win Saturday night.

"I guess after his week, maybe he deserved it a little more," third-place qualifier Jeff Gordon said of Kenseth's pole.

Brian Vickers qualified second to his teammate in the No. 11 car, followed by Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Clint Bowyer. Vickers is subbing for injured Denny Hamlin.

"I was pulling for (Hamlin) to get back in the car -- I really was -- but at the same time happy to drive for FedEx and Joe Gibbs Racing," Vickers said.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a disappointing qualifying effort as he attempts to get back on track after three consecutive results outside the top 15.

But Earnhardt said he wasn't concerned about the subpar finishes.

"No, it's still early," he told USA TODAY Sports after qualifying. "Our cars have been fast. I really don't have a hard time putting those weekends behind me when the car runs good. When we don't finish well because we're just not fast or we don't have answers, that's when it gets tough. But we're still running good."

Here's the starting lineup for Saturday night's NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway: